Poundland Has Pulled A Range Of Plastic Pumpkins From Sale After A Backlash

โ€œIf only there was an environmentally-friendly alternative... you know, like an ACTUAL PUMPKIN.โ€ ๐ŸŽƒ

Poundland has pulled a range of plastic carving pumpkins after a backlash on social media that led to customers threatening to boycott the chain.

On Sunday, Welsh beach cleaning volunteer group Aberystwyth Beach Buddies posted a photo of the pumpkins after spotting them in a local branch,

The group drafted and shared a copy-and-paste letter, encouraging shoppers to โ€œcause a stinkโ€ by contacting Poundland and urging the company to remove the product from sale.

The shareable letter read: โ€œAs a high street brand retailer you have a duty of care to your customers and beyond that to our one and only planet, the environment and our future [and] you have grotesquely failed in providing this.โ€

Other eagle-eyed shoppers also shared photos of the range on Facebook and on Twitter. โ€œAre you aware of the amount of un-recyclable waste already in landfill and in our oceans?โ€ one user wrote.

@Poundland polystyrene pumpkins?! Really? Are you aware of the amount of un-recyclable waste already in landfill and in our oceans? You can buy an actual pumpkin for ยฃ1 but no, you decide to sell this trash instead ๐Ÿ˜ก #poundlandaddstolandfill #waste #pollution #recycle pic.twitter.com/MUtVW8PsNG

โ€” Rach Golder (@RachGolder) October 12, 2018

@Poundland I don't really know what to say about this polystyrene pumpkin for carving apart from WTF?!

@aplastic_planet @LessPlasticUK @JuliaBradbury #zerowaste #pumpkin pic.twitter.com/JOnePgIoO0

โ€” The North Essex Larder (@essexlarder) October 10, 2018

Another said: โ€œIf only there was an environmentally-friendly alternative that wouldnโ€™t create a tonne of litter and destroy our oceans and itโ€™s inhabitants... You know, like an ACTUAL PUMPKIN.โ€

So @Poundland are selling polystyrene pumpkins that you can carve...

If only there was an environmentally-friendly alternative that wouldn't create a tonne of litter and destroy our oceans and it's inhabitants...

You know, like an ACTUAL PUMPKIN pic.twitter.com/l41DBYglNn

โ€” Mus โ“‹ (@_ayrtonnn) October 15, 2018

@Poundland polystyrene pumpkins? Whatโ€™s wrong with real ones? #saynotoplastic #drowninginplastic #Halloween #pumpkins pic.twitter.com/jFGHV2BBtM

โ€” Rachael Cameron (@rehodnett) October 22, 2018

A Poundland spokesperson told HuffPost UK the chain would pull the pumpkins from sale.

It tweeted customers to say: โ€œWhile these items have been on general sale in many retailers, we confirm weโ€™ve taken the decision not to re-purchase them and remove them from sale today.โ€

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